CHARLESTON, Ky. (10/16/13) – SurfKY News was on the scene as Ricky Bennett of Ricky Bennett Excavating dug up thick concrete footers that once supported the Charleston School.

“This school was built in 1940 or 41,” Bennett said. “These walls are concrete 30 inches thick. The school was used as a fallout shelter for the community at one time.” But, the thick, steel reinforced, concrete was slowly giving way to the skilled hands operating a powerful backhoe.

Pam Ahlert is president of the Charleston Fire Department Board and told SurfKY News that she believed the school was closed in 1989. The Fire Department purchased the property from Dale Tucker several years ago and is building a new Fire House on the site. Ahlert said that part of the building has been salvaged. “We have been using these rooms for training recently.”

Thanks to Pam Ahlert for some of the photos.

The Anton School was sold at auction last week for $130,000 to Ricky Wilson Construction. No word on plans for that building as yet.